SC reserves order on a plea seeking a moratorium on release of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) into the environment

Today, the Supreme Court (SC) bench comprising Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice B.V. Nagarathna reserved its order on a plea seeking a moratorium on the release of GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms) into the environment. After hearing the submissions from Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, Attorney General R. Venkataramani, Senior Advocate Sanjay Parikh, and Advocate Prashant Bhushan, the bench directed the parties to file written submissions by 22 January 2024 (Monday). Earlier on January 17, 2024, the SC observed that the issue of genetically modified crops is technical and scientific; therefore, it will decide the plea based on what is good for the country. It said, “What is good for India is the only question we are concerned about. We do not want to enter into a scientific debate. We are not scientists.” 

During the court proceedings, Advocate Bhushan told the SC that the “Technical Expert Committee has pointed out the adverse consequences that arise due to use of GMOs and studies demonstrating the risk to human health, environment, & biodiversity. The Union of India is silent as to measures it will put in place to ensure that there is no contamination of the fields of farmers.” In this context, the SC said that it is a matter of concern related to agriculture as large quantities of chemical fertilizers are used by the farmers. It remarked, “Let’s respect nature first. Why farmers stopped and given up the practice of using traditional fertilizers. Now they cannot cultivate without using synthetic fertilizers. Indian farming had always been organic but now we have fallen to chemical fertilizers. That is the difficulty of Indian farmers.”